Truth can help to inspire humor, says '50/50' actor

Dean Richards

TORONTO — The movie that's being called the "cancer comedy" debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival to a standing ovation and cheers from its audience in early September. "50/50" stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Seth Rogen as two lifelong friends who face a shocking cancer diagnosis with irreverence but ultimately, love and sensitivity.

The movie is based on what happened when Rogen's comedy writing friend, Will Reiser, dealt with cancer. Gordon-Levitt, who is getting some Oscar buzz for his portrayal, has come a long way from his days as the kid on TV's "3rd Rock From the Sun."

Q: With great roles in "Inception"and"(500) Days of Summer,"you seem to be avoiding formula kind of roles for an actor of your age and going for the slightly more eclectic?

A: I made money on TV when I was a kid, so I don't do this for the money. I do it because I really love doing it. I do it for myself, but I also do it for the people watching, you know. I know that movies have meant a lot to me in my life, so when I see a movie that I worked on, I want to be proud of it and have it mean something to somebody else. It sounds corny, but that just makes me feel great.

Q: How do you balance telling a sensitive, frightening story with one that's also funny?

A: Well, to me, even in the darkest times of life, there are moments that are funny, and that's just the truth. I think that a lot of people are scared of that, but I think it's really healthy to allow yourself to laugh. "50/50" is a real story. The film writer, Will Reiser, had cancer and survived cancer. When he got better, he wrote a comedy about cancer. It's not the kind of comedy that's like, "setup, punch line, setup, punch line, yuk yuk."

It's the kind of comedy that is more, "life isn't always fair, is it." That's what keeps it interesting, I guess. This is more like "(500) Days of Summer," where the laughs come from the truth, and it's from kind of knowing how that character feels and identifying with him. Actually, I think it's kind of healthy.

Q: Did you talk to people who are fighting cancer before you did a role like this?

A: I did speak to some other folks who had gone through it. I also had a friend, a close friend of mine, who unfortunately died of cancer a while back. My main source of information and inspiration for "50/50" was Will because it was his story. I'm basically playing him and what he went through.

Q: How did it feel to finally get response from an audience?

A: It felt good. We had our world premiere here at the Toronto Film Festival, and there was this huge cinema full of people, and there was a standing ovation afterward. I was a little bit nervous, but it feels great. It's a crowd-pleasing movie, and to hear them laughing and responding at the appropriate times was great.